On one of the hottest days of preseason practice with a cruel sun searing a crispy fried field, there was a certain energy that carried the afternoon work of the Bishop Ludden High School football team. With a shot of youth and above all else, speed, the Gaelic Knights have a jump in their step and promise in their future. The 25-player roster has only five seniors and four juniors. The bubble on the roster belongs to the freshmen. There is undeniable talent on the field led by running back Donovan Card and receiver Cameron Beauford. They bring speed to the table as do many of their teammates, and it's a combination that Rogers believes can take the Gaelic Knights to the next level. Rogers told his team after practice he thought it was the best double session they've had. Youth also brings a learning curve, which means some growing pains ahead. But if the Gaelic Knights can stay healthy - and that's the key for any team with small rosters - there's light at the end of the tunnel for the Ludden football program, whether it's this season or beyond. "We've got a pretty good nucleus," Rogers said. "We've got a lot of young guys, fast guys, and a lot of good looking athletes."

Video by Donnie Webb

Overheard

- Joe Connor missed the second-half of practice after a head-to-head collision with a teammate during a tackling drill. "I just dropped and closed my eyes for a second. I felt I was in heaven." Connor said he was fine and was disappointed he could not continue for the practice.

- As the team gathered for its final huddle with Rogers, one player said, "best feeling in the world is getting practice over with."

- A small roster brings this insight from Rogers: "One thing about Ludden, for the most part, you don't get much complaints about playing time."

Lineman Alex Carbonaro, who sat out practice with an injury, is also a rugby player. (Donnie Webb | dwebb@syracuse.com)

Rugby

Before football, sophomore lineman Alex Carbonaro played rugby. For two years, he's played both sports. He's a member of the Syracuse Silverbacks Rugby Club in addition to playing football at Ludden. At the moment, Carbonaro is sidelined with a chest injury. He admits he likes the other form of football a bit better. "It's so much more fun, in my opinion," Carbonaro said. "There's no pads. Just hitting. A lot more brutal."

Rest space on the tackling dummies was at a premium during this water break and not everyone could quite squeeze in, though the effort brought about a big smile. (Donnie Webb | dwebb@syracuse.com)

Offensive overview

Sophomore Billy Maynard is the quarterback charged with running an offense stoked with skill pieces. Rogers calls Maynard a "good little general. We think he can do some damage for us." He's got two of Class C's best playmakers in Beauford and Card. Get them the ball, block it right and let their speed and skill take over. "We've got to get the ball to them," Rogers said, "get it to them in space and see what they do."

Defensive overview

Rogers is big on his two linebackers Cote and Maynard. Throw Austin Hoyt into that mix and it's a solid place to build your unit. There is speed in the secondary, but questions up front. "It's a point of emphasis - get as much speed as we can on the field," Rogers said. "Even the bigger schools, not as much as us, a lot of guys are going both ways. You see that everywhere. It is what it is."

Vibe

Optimistic. Encouraging. Even on a hot day, the players pushed through the second of two practices with pretty good pace and effort.

Million Dollar Question

Can Ludden stay healthy and get through its growing pains when they show up at the worst possible times?

Camp postcard

Donovan Card is 5-foot-7, give or take an inch either way. Last season, he jumped over a Skaneateles tackler during a touchdown run, a spectacular play that became a youtube sensation. Card said the play is actually illegal in high school football and he should have been penalized. Card said he doesn't know his vertical jump, "but it has to be up there." Rogers figures Card had to have jumped at least a hurdle and a half when he cleared the tackler. "I did it in Pop Warner football. That's where I got the idea to do it again," Card said. He's regularly asked about the play, from how he did it to whether he'll do it again. Card said he might not be able to stop himself if the right situation happens again. "If I get the right opportunity, I'm definitely going to try," he said.